Shalinthal Desdemonia
"Being a detective is a lot like being a spy, though not nearly as dramatic as books would have you believe. I spend a lot of time standing around, taking pictures, sipping coffee, and every so often, somebody tries to kill me." Dame Shalinthal Desdemonia is a Human Mage, and a private detective for the Kingdom of Stormwind. Working extensively with SI:7 and the Stormwind City Guard, she works tirelessly to ensure all matters of the criminal and Cultist threat are dealt with. Physical Description The deepest of dreams buried within the darkest recesses of the subconscious could not have turned out a more haunting, alluring beauty than Shalinthal. Such is the vibrancy of her skin, the ebb and flow of her crimson red hair, and the spark of life within her that it almost appears supernatural and, given her obvious profession as a magi, it is very likely that her beauty is, at least at some level, magically enhanced. She is taller than average, standing amongst her peers of equal measure and stature at around six feet tall. What some might find more odd is the obvious amount of intense focus and discipline she carries with her, even at times when she appears at ease. The way she moves; with every calculated, quiet step, and the motions of her hands, whether to dance as she so frequently does, or cast the mysteries of magic that she can bend to her will, one can see the great attention to detail she puts into her efforts, and the restrained power she reigns in, allowing no energy to be wasted. History Dame Shalinthal's history is shrouded in mystery. Though, this much is certain: Early Life: Shalinthal was born to a working-class merchant family in 596 K.C. somewhere in the vicinity of Strom, Arathi Highlands. She lived with them during the First and Second Wars. Sometime later, she left the safety of her home and family with aspirations of becoming an adventurer. She made her way south, and largely avoided the conflicts of the Third War, having spent most of her time in the Redridge Mountains, where she will claim to anybody as her place of birth. Career: Having never truly given up being an adventurer, though fully realizing that it was not sufficient to further her training in the magical arts nor enough to pay the bills, Shalinthal's early career began as an enlisted magi during the Outland Campaign. This was shortly after the Scourge were defeated in the Plaguelands and Naxxramas retreated from its first assault. There, she served with the Stormwind Army, advancing through the ranks until she attained the rank of Master Sergeant at the end of the campaign. Her career continued during the Northrend Campaign, where she served across many battlefields but was primarily stationed at Valiance Keep. It was there that she was promoted to her current rank of Knight-Captain, earning a variety of medals for her ingenuity on the battlefield and bravery against the skyborn menace of the Scourge's Gargoyle Assault, and the ongoing provoking attacks from the Horde. Following the conclusion of the Northrend Campaign, Shalinthal chose not to re-enlist in the Alliance Military, and rather chose to continue her adventuring career. However, once again realizing that it was not sufficient to pay the bills, she began to work as a consultant for the guard and then, finally, as a private detective. In that position, she attained a small notoriety for the weeding out of Twilight Cultists and Horde Spies. Shalinthal remained as a private detective for the Kingdom of Stormwind for the majority of her remaining career, though she did actively participate as an adventurer during the Pandaria and New Draenor campaigns, mostly on the hunt for ancient artefacts of Titan origin. It was not until recently that she opted to re-enlist into the Alliance Military, being selected for the prestigious and renowned Stormwind Royal Honor Guard. However, this position was short lived. The disappearance of her commanding officer left her without a chain of command, and she put her position on hold until the return of her commander. Magic Dame Shalinthal is an accomplished mage, but she has never had a day of formal magical education in her life. She has trained herself through travelling sorcerers that came and went. She eavesdropped on crowds of young mages on the bar room floor, listening to popular developments in the craft. She stole tomes from sleeping wizards and won items of power in card-games stacked in her favour. She read tomes when they were left open, she stayed in libraries when they were left unlocked. She is a magician forged by the mistakes of the world, yet each syllable of each incantation is spoken and known with the patience of a vowed scholar. By these means, her use of magic can be unorthodox, and allows her to utilize spells in unique ways that are unexpected to many. Dame Shalinthal has mastered the following forms: * Evocation * Abjuration * Enchantment She is adept in the following forms: * Divination * Conjuration * Transmutation She is a novice, or has no practical experience in: * Necromancy Notable Items Shalinthal is an inter-dimensional pioneer. The Dame has made a habit of seeking gateways to pocket dimensions that run diagonal to the 'here and now', and has come face to face with creatures of vast and terrible power. It is through these misadventures that her unique armory has filled. These armaments, items and mysterious objects include: * Eilistraee, the Songblade - This amorphous item is less a weapon and more of a structure of Shalinthal's will. Its basic function is as a focus for her magic. But, curiously, it is an item that changes its shape depending on the needs of its master, reconstructing as a staff or blade in a moments notice; and though it can take the shape of weapons that can fire projectiles, it cannot physically fire anything. * Moonsong's Sire - At first glance, this weapon appears to be a weapon of Pandaren origin. Its metal is silvery in appearance with a bright lustre and a sharp edge. Its blade extends outward at roughly two-and-a-half feet with a leather-bound pommel and grip. It has been magically augmented by Dame Shalinthal to be sharper, whistling slices through the air as deadly as titansteel and as fine as paper. * Finger of the Phane - Arguably Dame Shalinthal's most bizarre item, it was taken from an entity known as Sofiel. Though it appears as a wand by design, its shape contorts into a swirling mass of black-shadow that distorts time around it. It's enchantment allows Shalinthal to access a banned school of magic: Chronomancy. It is only used as a last resort. When the Finger of the Phane is wielded, its master can reverse time to a previous moment and view it as a spectator or actively work to change events - though she has never done so. Category:Characters Category:Human Category:Stromic